The first thing you notice in this cloister house interior is the material shift: pale walls, black metal framing and a strip of exposed brick set the tone before the route opens up. From there, the new oak staircase draws a clear line through the building. Its slim steel balustrade keeps the view open while the stairs connect the main living level with the cellar, the children’s sleeping floor and the attic above. The intervention reads as a measured insertion into an existing shell, not as a reset.

A new route through the former cloister

The former cloister has been partly transformed into a townhouse interior while keeping the character of the original building visible. That quality is most apparent in the way the new circulation sits against the existing structure. The oak staircase with steel balustrade does more than link floors; it gives the house a readable spine. Each level is connected in a direct sequence, from the cellar below to the upper rooms and the attic spaces under the roof. The result is a plan that moves with the building rather than against it.

Visible material changes keep the interior grounded. Light plastered walls form a calm background, but the black-framed glazing and the brick accent wall interior add sharper edges where needed. The brick appears as a deliberate interruption in the smooth surfaces, giving the hall a more tactile presence. Above it, the metal frame outlines the opening with precision. Nothing here tries to hide the structure; the new elements simply sit beside it and make the existing volume easier to read.

Oak and steel in the stair hall

The oak staircase with steel balustrade is the clearest new gesture in the house. Oak gives the stair a solid visual weight, while the slender steel handrail keeps the profile light. This combination suits the interior’s measured atmosphere: strong enough to anchor the space, restrained enough not to crowd it. Because the stair is open, it allows sightlines to move between floors. That matters in a house where the levels are used differently and need to stay connected.

In the hall, the staircase meets the surrounding finishes without friction. The black metal frame, the pale wall surfaces and the exposed brick create a compact material register that feels deliberate and practical. Ceiling spots spread light evenly across the surfaces, making the edges of the stair and door openings easier to follow. The view is not overloaded with detail, which lets the oak treads and steel line stand out in a room that depends on circulation rather than display.

Brick, glazing and the main arrival space

The entrance area carries a clear architectural rhythm. A fixed glazed panel, set in a black frame, brings light into the hall and reveals the depth of the wall. Next to it, the brick accent wall interior adds texture where the rest of the room stays smooth. The contrast is simple but effective: masonry, metal and plaster each do a different job, and the hall benefits from that division. It is an interior that communicates how it has been assembled.

Loft layout under authentic roof trusses

Up in the attic, the layout changes from vertical movement to spatial zoning. The loft layout under authentic roof trusses uses the structure itself as a guide. Instead of covering the beams, the design lets them shape the room. A robust oak element divides the large attic volume into distinct areas: a sleeping zone, a bathroom, a walk-in closet and a mezzanine with workspaces. The roof trusses remain present throughout, giving the room its scale and keeping the loft from feeling flat or over-partitioned.

The large attic space needed a clear organizing principle, and the oak element provides it. Rather than slicing the room into narrow compartments, it establishes a strong interior line that marks changes in use. The mezzanine with workspaces sits above part of the plan, allowing daily functions to occupy a higher level while the sleeping area stays below. This layered arrangement makes the most of the volume under the roof, using height where it is available and leaving the structure visible where it matters.

At the same time, the authentic roof trusses stay legible across the attic. Their presence defines the ceiling profile and gives the room a sense of direction. The intervention respects that reading. It does not flatten the space or conceal its framework. Instead, the new oak structure works with the trusses, creating a loft layout under authentic roof trusses that feels organized without becoming rigid. The room remains large, but its functions are now clearly placed.

Sleeping zone on a raised platform

The sleeping area is lifted on a raised platform for bed and jacuzzi, which changes how the attic floor is used. By raising these elements, the design gives them their own level and separates them from the surrounding circulation. The platform also makes the bed and jacuzzi read as part of the architecture rather than loose furniture. That move gives the zone a quieter presence within the larger loft, especially where the roof slopes and the trusses define the upper edges of the room.

Nearby, the bathroom and walk-in closet extend the attic into a complete upper floor sequence. The transitions are direct and easy to follow, with the oak element holding the plan together. The mezzanine with workspaces adds another layer, turning the attic into a place that can accommodate different rhythms in one space. What could have been an undefined roof level is instead organized with precision, but the structure still leads the eye.

Preserving character while changing use

What gives this cloister house interior its strength is the way the old and new parts remain distinct. The character of the former cloister is still present in the proportions and the structural surfaces, yet the inserted oak stair and attic element give the house a new internal order. The cellar, the children’s sleeping floor and the attic are all tied into one circulation system, which makes the house feel legible from inside. The architecture works through movement, material and level changes rather than through decorative effect.

Even where the rooms are open, the boundaries are clear. The stair hall, the attic sleeping zone and the mezzanine each have their own spatial role. Materials help define those shifts: oak for structure, steel for the rail, brick for texture, plaster for light. In this cloister house interior, that combination is enough. It keeps the building recognisable while giving the new townhouse interior a practical and ordered plan that follows the existing shell closely.